3. From the article

[Panetta's] spokesman, George Little, said that the range for an international force was 8,000 to 12,000. "The reports that the US told allies that we are considering 8,000 to 12,000 US troops after 2014 are not correct," Little said. "A range of 8,000 to 12,000 troops was discussed as the possible size of the overall Nato mission, not the US contribution."